Are braces considered cosmetic dentistry?

Yes braces do fall into the category of Cosmetic or Aesthetic Dentistry

Braces or any orthodontic treatments have a dual purpose of both function and aesthetics. They support the functioning of teeth by providing a stable balanced bite where the patient can chew and speak without causing any negative effects. The braces treatment at the same time will also align the teeth correctly and so restore the aesthetics of the smile too.

Indeed, most adults these days now seek out brace treatments to align their front teeth which have either relapsed from childhood treatment, or they never had the opportunity to get braces done in the first place.

There are many types of brace or adult orthodontic treatments including Six month smiles, Incognito, Invisalign, Inman Aligners, CFast and many other systems. Straighten your teeth today.

Brace treatment carried out in young teenage children is primarily for proper alignment of teeth whilst the child is growing so that the teeth are “fixed” in a better position in the jaws when the child stops growing.

This is primarily for a proper functioning of teeth.

However, when teeth are correctly aligned they also are straighter and cosmetically improved too. Thus, orthodontic treatment became known as a cosmetic treatment also.

Once the child became an adult where growing had stopped, previously, it was difficult to straighten these teeth.

So if adults wanted to cosmetically enhance their smiles and front teeth, the only solutions open to them were either invasive restorative work with porcelain veneers or they would have to undergo a few years wearing metal train track braces. For most adults, the metal braces were not an idea that appealed to them much.

Thankfully, with the advent of cosmetic braces and newer innovations, we now have multiple types of braces treatments that were created with adults in mind. These treatments fall into a category of dentistry called Short Term Adult Orthodontics.

These treatments are quick and produce effective aesthetic results. They include clear aligners and tooth coloured braces. This type of orthodontic treatment is aimed specifically at adults and consists of tooth coloured components that are directed to mainly provide cosmetic improvements in the front teeth.

We understand the importance of having a strong, healthy mouth. For more information, call our Hertfordshire clinic on 01992 552115 today.